Larkhill 07/01/11

LARKHILL RACING CLUB

A rather mixed day at Larkhill early in the season. For once, the wind more or less abated, to the degree that for this part of the world it can be deemed extreme weather - extremely quiet in this instance. Where was the Met Office warning? It also attracted high numbers of entries, of top quality and with the likelihood of a high proportion turning out on the day, which was the case, with the total runners surging beyond the hundred mark with a race to spare. The downside of the day was a rash of injuries to horses and jockeys. The course seemed to be in very decent condition, and the horses were making a serious hoofprint in the turf, so it was clearly not harsher than the official state. With race times regularly cracking six minutes, the logical conclusion is that the races were being run at excessive speed, straining bodies to the limit and increasing the force of impacts, where they occurred. No sure which branch of physics applies, but rocket science is excluded.

On a more endearing note, the meeting opened in a haze of chaos that is a hallmark of British amateur sport, and also showed us that whatever the circumstances, race meetings should not start before noon, as the human beings are simply not compos mentis enough to make it work. The chain of delight was as follows:

A field of twenty is announced for the first race. It is then announced that it will be divided. Ten runners are read out for division one, but at some point after that, horse number eight is quietly inserted to make it up to eleven - based on boards written up before this, it was a surprise to the bookies as well. As the field jumped off, the commentator belatedly realised that he did not have his microphone turned on. After the race is completed, the field for division two is announced, being back now to the original twenty, including those that have just raced. This is eventually revised to a new list of twelve, although almost as soon as this is done horse number eleven is withdrawn. Post-race, the field for the Ladies Open is in the paddock for a long time, as an injured horse is being treated at the final fence on the track. As the delay extends, a handful are getting very sweaty. Meanwhile, the trainer of two runners is working hard to manage to have her pair leave the paddock and go to post together. The effort pays off, until they enter the course proper and one of the two hesitates. This prompts the other to take off like a bat out of hell. Keyneema overshoots the start by quite a way, which produces further delay as he engages on the long, slow uphill walk to the collecting area. Worked up runners get worse. And just as they look about ready to go, the air ambulance arrives for one of the second race riders. Another hold up. After that, things gradually eased back to normal, but this is the only racecard which names an official as "course troubleshooter." On today's evidence, this is clearly more than just a symbolic position!

And yes, the ruts and potholes on the entry track have really been fixed. 

Going: Good

race 1: Larkhill Racing Club Members Conditions, Div I

1: Orient Legend     2: Petit Lord     3: Harlaxton

Winner owned: PHF Riddle & P Clayton, trained: Jenny Pidgeon, ridden: Tom Ellis

Orient Legend made almost all of the running in this, possibly headed briefly when he made an error at the ninth fence, and dropping behind the runner-up for a few strides around the second last. All of the serious rivals had a pop at him at some stage of the race, but none could dismay him into defeat. He was looking quite tired on the run-in and it briefly seemed that Petit Lord might just reel him in, but the thought was only a fleeting one, and the margin at the line was two and a half lengths. Harlaxton stuck at the job for third, but once the leader put daylight between them around the third last, he never shaped as if he would do any better than that. Fourth came the way of Obamarama, who appeared fit enough in the paddock, but ran is if the race was needed - either that or the perfectly adequate stamina that he showed last season has gone missing. Buck's Bond, owned by a certain Paul Nicholls and Anthony Bromley, would have been thought of as a challenger, but lost his rider when they were out of sight at the bottom of the track. His career so far was a win in 2010 and an unseated in 2011. On that basis, do we wish him a merry Christmas and look forward to seeing him in 2013?

race 2: Larkhill Racing Club Members Conditions, Div II

1: Coombe Hill     2: On My Living Life

Winner owned: G Thompson, trained: Charlotte Tizzard, ridden: Darren Edwards

Only two finished this, and On My Living Life was well adrift of the winner, inheriting second when Spiders Nephew fell heavily at the final fence, having until then run well above his traditional standards. At the time the fall came, Coombe Hill was not travelling especially comfortably, and given his recent history, it is not beyond the imagination that Spiders Nephew would have found a way to wheedle out a win. On My Living Life had been third in an open last time, so to find a race such as this so difficult was a bit of a regressive step. The pace was set by Little Legend, who was still in his comfort zone when falling four out, badly hampering Portland Bill in the process, and leading to him being pulled up soon after. Almost a good start to the season for Little Legend, but these sort of catastrophic errors are hardly a new experience for him. Of the other possibles, Pastek, already having lost a race this season in the stewards room, was in the mix when unseating two out, and The Slug pulled up lame just before that.

Coombe Hill surges to victory in splendid isolation

race 3: Southern Counties Auctioneers Ladies Open

1: Description     2: Gwanako     3: Palypso De Creek

Winner owned: Camilla Ewart & Jamie Warner, trained: Alan Hill, ridden: Gina Andrews

Had this race occurred before Christmas, there would have been no chance of getting 10/1 about Description repeating the 2011 success in this, even with nineteen runners taking part. But on his seasonal debut, he had run a woeful race and pulled up. This time he was back to his best, and the official explanation was that he had changed stables just before the earlier run and was not yet comfortable with his new environment. Gwanako is new to pointing, having been a bit inclined to make life difficult for himself under rules. This was a very decent start between flags, but it will be interesting to see if he will lower himself to whatever it takes to lose when he finds less competitive races than this. Palypso De Creek is a real grinder, who won at Whitfield in December, and showed similar zest for pointing today. Decent as he is, he is ideally suited by a far stiffer test of stamina (or slower, tougher race) than he met here. After the delays to the start, ones getting notably sweaty and in a tizz were Kjetil (virtually refused to race, toddled around tailed off), Lilac Wine (detached after the first fence, never able to regain the ground), Master Alf (slow away, always too far off the leaders to compete), Metal Detector (first race for nearly three years) and Dead Mans Dante (old enough to know better than worry about such trivialities). Of those, Master Alf is possibly the only one you may opt to offer a second chance, especially when finances are involved in the forgiveness.

A lap to go for the ladies, with grey Turko in contest for the lead with Sir Bathwick (failed escort for Keyneema to the start) and Description in the stripes making sure nothing important happens without his involvement. Of the two mostly hidden ones, the best guess is that it is Kicks For Free on the far side. Keyneema is nearest, and probably Palypso De Creek between. Metal Detector and Gwanako are just taking off.

race 4: Avon Valley Motor Sales 5-8 year olds Open Maiden, Div I

1: Spider Monkey     2: Chiquilline     3: Doubletoilntrouble

Winner owned: Jared Sullivan, trained: Richard Barber, ridden: Will Biddick

The first of three maidens on the card, none of which visually appealed as real top notch races, but this one was graced by a large owl hunting the stragglers by the tank crossing. In the preliminaries, Spider Monkey, who was debuting here, looked fairly fit, but not as rippling with wellbeing as some of his opposition, so his clear win was very creditable, and there were reasons to imagine even better is on the cards. Summed up in six words - led two out, ran on well. After unseating as he exited the paddock, Chiquilline was the main candidate for doing something barmy, and with his British debut marked by an unseated rider, it was an unexpected surprise to see him claim a thoroughly deserved, issue-free second. On this evidence, the past failings can be consigned to the dustbin of history sooner rather than later. Doubletoilntrouble has had plenty of chances, mostly hurdling, and his unseated at Whitfield broke his habit of coming third. Normal service was resumed today, but he is less appealing as a candidate to break his duck. Oak Apple's only previous race was a bumper back in April, where she finished ninth. She ran pretty well here, losing third as she tied up on the run-in, and she looks like a win ought to be possible. She was still ahead of a bumper runner-up, Morgan's Bay, who was in rear early and struggled to get closer due to repeated careless jumping. In the end, the effort told, and he was eased from the second last. The physical ability exists, but the skill and technique need plenty more work. At Tweseldown recently Johnny No Cash had pulled up in an Open, but stayed in contention far longer than would possibly have been expected to be the case. He had a quiet midfield run around here and certainly looks the sort to do better - he was regularly making the frame in Ireland.

race 5: Avon Valley Motor Sales 5-8 year olds Open Maiden, Div II

1: I'm The Article     2: Parstara     3: Trifollet

Winner owned: The Peckmoor Partnership, trained: Richard Barber, ridden: Joe Barber

Just over a lap to go and Springtree uses a screen of sweat to make the others keep their distance. Rokshi and Bit Of A Clown are least intimidated, with Dancing Jack hidden by the wing

Standing by the final fence for this race, it look certain that Parstara and Trifollet would battle out the finish, with I'm The Article set to out do Bit Of A Clown for third. Instead, I'm The Article proved very tenacious at the business end, reeling in the placed horses to the degree of winning by what those near the post considered a comfortable half length. He ran out at this track on his debut last year and ended a futile season with a fall, possibly leading to some more insulting descriptions than "the article" being thrown his way. This was the work of a reformed character, and he was a decent price as well, with debut making stable mate Presenting The Way heading the market. That horse tried to get with the leaders climbing out of the valley at the end of the track, but was never quite able to do the job. Parstara was last seen when battling for win over 2m 4f last season, only to fall, and it is possible that she was caught because her stamina for three miles is not quite there yet. Maybe staying power also is the issue for Trifollet, who makes the frame quite often, including at Barbury Castle in December, but cannot quite win. Despite being mentioned by the commentator as briefly leading at halfway, Sum Say So actually refused to race, jumping off a furlong behind and then declining the first fence. Last year he started in noteworthy fashion and went backwards with time. It is hard to see how he can go downhill from this. Rather oddly, a whole clump of horses pulled up five out when the leaders quickened. Zarumba (debuting here), Springtree (ridden but not in dire straits at the time), Minor Chord and Dancing Jack (absent for more than two years) all might perk up suddenly now a suitable jog round has been enjoyed.

At the last obstacles and Parstara is first away from the fence, with Trifollet posting the mightiest leap on the near side. That served to motivate I'm The Article (nosebanded chesnut) to not accept that treatment.

race 6: Mike Shaw Farewell 5-8 year olds Open Maiden, Div III

1: Noble Aran     2: Shy John     3: Hightown

Winner owned: R Barrow, trained: Julie Long, ridden: Michael Nolan (apologies if first name spelling is wrong)

Of the three maidens, this seemed to be the weakest, and without much bedlam in the race, it had settled into a three horse duel from the third last, when Possibly Flora, making a perfectly respectable debut, came to the end of her tether, which allowed Hightown to plod past her for a place. Noble Aran, who has had lots of chances under rules, proved fairly determined to make things finally fall his way, and wore down Shy John, who was in 2m 4f races last season, and had the benefit of a run (third at Whitfield) this time. It might have been different had newcomer The Spuddler not come down at the final fence. He had a couple of lengths to make up at the time, but the previous race showed that the run-in here is long enough if the horse has the will to do these things. The one to note from down the field was Buckle End, who led most of the way until he pecked badly on landing four out. Quickly headed, he got the next fence wrong as well, and looked likely to call it a day. Instead, he was given time to get his composure back and finished fifth. Obviously there are things to be fixed with him, but he appears to have the requisite physical attributes.

race 7: Scats Country Stores Mens Open

1: According To John     2: Mustangsallyrally     3: Vintage Class

Winner owned: HB Geddes, trained: Richard Barber, ridden: Will Biddick

This was a very fiercely contested race, with nineteen runners declared and some very decent horses rightly priced up in the 20/1 region of each-way possibility. The market leader was Master Medic, who prefers soft going and would only get away with this sort of ground in a less competitive race. He was just off of the leaders, although perhaps being nudged along slightly more than some, when he unseated at the fifth last fence. That was the stage in which the horde that had had remained tightly packed throughout began to thin slightly. The first to attack was According To John, and once he opened a bit of daylight, there was nothing really going sweetly enough to recover. Mustangsallrally is not a prolific winner, but gets placed often. He is the sort of horse to be onside with each-way when he is long prices such as today, but to oppose heartily at short odds. Vintage Class has the handy attribute of not being slowed down in the least by mud, but the other side of the coin is that this ground blunts his main weapon. He was back to his usual reliable self after pulling up in his seasonal debut. The veteran Knowhere, under a rider possibly having his first ride, put up a solid show until unseating at third last, which allowed Any The Wiser to plod on for fourth, and his former stable mate Naunton Brook fared quite well until the last half mile. There was a bit of early chaos, as Najca De Thaix refused to start, saw the field recalled, and declined to jump off again when they got going for real. Was it this that inspired Hopkins to run out at the first fence? In the racecard I jotted a note to keep an eye on Polyfast, but as nothing else was written down, I clearly failed to instruct myself with suitable clarity. As a handicap chaser, he tended to stick to two and a half miles, and last year his jumping went dramatically awry as well. As addition to Master Medic, the Alner yard fielded Jayne's Crusader and neither put in an appearance in the paddock, appearing in the chute from the horsebox park after all the other runners had departed. At a time of year when many are looking to see pre-race condition of the runners, that is not good enough. 

race 8: George Smith Horseboxes And JW Mullins Restricted

1: Artic Fire     2: Hincheslea Moor     3: My Dads Horse

Winner owned & trained: Craig Pilgrim, ridden: Rachel King

For the most part, small field restricted races are tough enough to follow, but a twenty runner heat (one horse balloted out due to failing light) at a decent meeting raises the bar above the power of mere mortals. Arctic Fire is a thirteen year old, which is normally a kiss of death to the merit of restricted form, but in the last six seasons his number of races have been 1, 0, 0, 1, 2 and 1, so it is not necessarily lack of talent that has kept him to this level. Along with Buck's Bond, this must be him finished for the season now. A job well done. With a fall and a win of modest quality to his name last season, Hincheslea Moore indicated that the progress has not finished, but he did perhaps get caught out for speed at a couple of points during the race. There should be easier restricteds than this for him to win. My Dads Horse started favourite, having learned a lot from his debut when winning in the north last season. It was not a bad effort, but a touch less than ambitions for this season may be angling for. Maybe he will come on for the run, but had Tricky Tangler not unseated at the last (when looking likely to nab second), My Dads Horse would not even have been placed. To put that in perspective, Tricky Tangler was having his eighteenth race, with only a dodgy fast ground win in his history, along with often wavering commitment. Having won at Barbury Castle this season, but then unseating at the start when attempting to follow up, Topthorn was an intriguing contender, and he ran well for a long way, before dropping out in the last half mile - the fact that the win was at 2m 4f looked significant here.